The present invention generally relates to articles of bedding with a hidden or partially hidden pocket assembly for the purpose of storing an item that is convenient to have accessible at one""s bedside. More particularly, the present invention utilizes different multiple articles of bedding such as pillow cases, bed sheets, bed skirts, blankets, bed spreads, bed quilts, and the like, that contain a hidden or partially hidden pocket assembly located within or adjacent to the hem piece on the article of bedding. The access to the pocket is hidden from normal viewing, allowing the bed occupant discrete access to the item such as a condom, tissue, cough drop, breath freshener, medications, personal lubricants, and the like, without the need of getting out of bed or turning on the bedroom light.
Convenience has become ever more important in modern day society, witness the rise in the quality and selection of quick prepare microwave foods, fast casual restaurants, instant mobile phone number and phone activation, and Internet purchases of goods and services, all of which were unavailable a few years ago. Taking this concept to the bedroom, wherein items of a personal nature such as condoms, tissues, cough drops, breath freshener, medications, personal lubricants, and the like, are frequently desired in the middle of the night wherein the bed occupant does not desire to have to get up out of bed and/or turn on the bedroom light to find the desired item. Finding the desired item easily by the bed occupant with minimal effort would be of a benefit to the bed occupant in having a minimal disruption of sleep, or in the case of a condom being the desired item, having the condom conveniently available to encourage use of the condom thereby reducing the incidence of sexually transmitted diseases such as AIDS, and other venereal diseases that can have a seriously negative impact on one""s health. Convenience and accessibility of the item, especially in the case of the condom, are important as participants in sexual activities are frequently unprepared and in a state of heightened sexual arousal and are unlikely xe2x80x9cin the heat of the momentxe2x80x9d to take the time and effort to search diligently for a condom, especially if the condom has not been accessed for some time, the bed occupant may not recall the condom""s location in the aforementioned situation, thus making it less likely that a condom would be used, resulting in an increased risk to one""s health. In response to the desired need for conveniently and easily locating an item of a personal nature by a bed occupant, a number of prior art inventions have added pockets to various articles of bedding.
Starting with the U.S. Pat. No. 5,864,903 to Newman, disclosed is a pillow having a storage pocket sized for retaining a packaged condom. Newman also discloses that the storage pocket is located in the center of one side of the pillow, with the pocket opening being formed in an exterior seam running across one of the pillow faces with only the actual condom pocket being hidden from view. However, the condom pocket is just inside of the seam, wherein the condom pocket access seam is very obvious from viewing the pillow on the outside. This seam appears similar to a side pocket that exists on a purse or handbag, wherein the storage pocket opening is completely visibly exposed on the outside of the pillow. Newman also discloses that the rigidity of the seam, which is as large as the exterior pillow outer edge border seams on the pillow, is used for retaining the condom in the pocket. Continuing in the same area, moving to U.S. Design Patent No. D 448,960 S to Leverette, disclosed is a pillowcase with a condom storage pocket, wherein the condom storage pocket is entirely obvious and visible on the outside surface of the pillowcase. In fact, Leverette shows the condom pocket itself as a transparent piece of material that the condom is stored in, thus not only is the condom storage pocket obvious and visible from the pillowcase outside surface but also due to the transparent pocket the condom package itself is also obvious and visible from the pillowcase outside surface. Further, in this same area in UK (England) Patent Application Publication No. 2,173,095 A by Barton, disclosed is a bed linen such as a pillowcase with a pocket on one surface having a snap closure, the purpose of the pocket is to be used primarily for a child""s tooth to be replaced by a coin from the tooth fairy. Barton does not disclose anything related to hiding the pocket from view, being much the same as Leverette having its pocket obvious to viewing as indicated by the Figure in Barton, and to a lesser extent Newman having a the pocket opening obvious to viewing.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,688,286 to Miker, Jr., disclosed is a pillow having storage compartment pockets for personal items, wherein the pockets are hidden from view due to the fact that the pockets are placed on the bottom side of the pillow, as there is nothing unique in the structure of the pocket itself to keep it hidden from obvious view. Thus, if the pillow in Miker, Jr. were simply turned over all of the pockets would be totally exposed. Also, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,703,528 to Rolle, disclosed is a ground cover sheet that has a hidden pocket that is in between the fabric layers in the body of the ground cover sheet with the opening to the pocket being sealed with a hook and loop fastener being located at the outer edge of the ground cover sheet hiding the opening. Rolle does not lend itself to bed use for the hidden and discreet storage of personal items with quick and convenient access, being a ground cover with weights and the hidden pocket opening not easily accessible. Finally, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,138,728 to Aston, disclosed is an interior container insert for a pillow that includes an insert bag for containing articles of a personal nature and relies upon a pillowcase for instance to xe2x80x9chidexe2x80x9d the container insert with the goal being to provide passive security for valuables stored in the container that is secured by a hook and loop fastener. Again, quick and convenient access for the articles of a personal nature is not the goal in Aston and would not be easily achievable due to the multiple layers that must be gone through to get to the container insert interior.
What is needed is an article of bedding that has a hidden pocket for the discrete storage of personal items, wherein discrete retrieval, quick access, and convenience to these personal items is easily achieved by the bed occupant. Not only is it desired that the pocket be hidden from view, but also the opening to the pocket be hidden from view making the personal items not obvious within the makeup of normal bedding, such as pillowcases, bed sheets, bed skirts, blankets, bed spreads, bed quilts, and the like.
The present invention of an article of bedding with a hidden pocket assembly for storing an item, includes a fabric panel having an exterior surface, an interior surface, and a distal end portion. Also included, is a double inwardly folded wide hem fabric piece defining a hem first end portion and a hem second end portion, the hem forming a hem interior volume that is separated from an exterior environment and an interior environment. In addition, a fabric pocket liner is included for storing the item, with the fabric pocket liner including an opening for passing the item therethrough, wherein the pocket liner opening is double outwardly folded defining a pocket liner third end portion and a pocket liner fourth end portion, with the opening positioned adjacent to a portion of the hem first end, a portion of the hem second end, and a portion of the panel distal end. The fabric pocket liner is also positioned within a portion of the hem interior volume, wherein the fabric pocket liner is not visible from the exterior environment and the interior environment. In addition, a means for attachment is provided for the panel distal end, the hem first end, and the pocket liner third end, wherein the means for attachment is not visible from the exterior environment. A further means for attachment is utilized for the panel distal end, the hem first end, and the hem second end. Finally, yet another means for attachment is provided for the hem second end and the pocket liner fourth end, wherein the pocket liner opening is not visible or accessible from the exterior environment with access to the pocket liner opening from the interior environment.
These and other objects of the present invention will become more readily appreciated and understood from a consideration of the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention when taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which;